Combination lock construction

Claim 2

A combination lock device for separable container sections of a luggage case, comprising a keeper to be affixed to one of the sections having a keeper end portion projecting toward the other section, a latching assembly to be affixed on the other section including a housing into which said keeper end portion projects when the container is closed, a set of plural rotatable combination dial wheel assemblies disposed in axially spaced coaxial relation along a common axis, a tiltable fence member supported adjacent the dial wheel assemblies spanning the set for angular movement toward and away from said common axis between locking and unlocking positions about a fence pivot axis paralleling said common axis, said dial wheel assemblies including means normally restraining said fence member at said locking position and admitting movement thereof to said unlocking position only when said dial wheel assemblies occupy a selected combination of angular positions, said fence member having a latching formation spaced from the fence pivot axis to be interfitted into latching relation with said keeper end portion wHen the fence member is at said locking position and to be withdrawn from the keeper end portion at the unlocking position of the fence member, spring means biasing said fence member to said unlocking position, said fence member having an extension projecting forwardly therefrom, and an outwardly biased manual push-button member at the front of the lock device having a cam surface formation movable into the housing to engage said extension on the fence member and positively force the fence member to tilt to unlocking position by manual inward force on the push-button member.

Claim 3

A combination lock device as defined in claim 1, wherein said keeper end portion has an aperture adjacent the free end of the keeper to be located within the housing in the closed position of the container sections, and said fence member includes a body portion having said pivot axis adjacent one edge thereof and having a latch tongue at an opposite edge thereof forming said latching formation and extending substantially perpendicular to said keeper to project through said keeper aperture and retain the keeper end portion in said housing when the fence member is in locking position.

Claim 4

A combination lock device as defined in claim 2, wherein said extension of said fence member is a forwardly projecting foot formation integral with the fence body portion extending substantially perpendicular thereto, said cam surface formation of said push-button member having a shape to engage and force the forward end of said foot formation in a direction to rock the fence member about its pivot axis from locking position to unlocking position.

Claim 5

A combination lock device as defined in claim 1, including a shaft for said dial wheel assemblies, each dial wheel assembly comprising an outer annular wheel member having a central bore and an indicia bearing periphery and an inner hub slidably and rotatably journaled on said shaft and extending entirely through the bore of the associated wheel member, and said hubs being disposed in endwise abutting stacked relation on said shaft and each having a circumferential portion coacting with said fence member to restrain the latter in locking position and a flat at a selected angular position for admitting unlocking movement of said fence member.

Claim 6

A combination lock device as defined in claim 2, including a shaft for said dial wheel assemblies, each dial wheel assembly comprising an outer annular wheel member having a central bore and an indicia bearing periphery and an inner hub slidably and rotatably journaled on said shaft and extending entirely through the bore of the associated wheel member, and said hubs being disposed in endwise abutting stacked relation on said shaft and each having a circumferential portion coacting with said fence member to restrain the latter in locking position and gating means at a selected angular position for admitting unlocking movement of said fence member.

Claim 7

A combination lock device adapted to be mounted on upper and lower separable container sections of a luggage case or the like adjacent a line of separation therebetween, comprising a keeper to be affixed to the upper section having a keeper end portion projecting toward the lower section, a latching assembly to be affixed on the lower section including a housing having an upper wall adjacent said line of separation and a lower wall, the upper wall having a slot for passage of the keeper end portion into the interior of the housing, a set of plural rotatable combination dial wheel assemblies disposed in axially spaced coaxial relation along a common axis paralleling said line of separation, a tiltable fence member supported adjacent the dial wheel assemblies spanning the set for angular movement toward and away from said common axis between locking and unlocking positions about a fence pivot axis adjacent said lower wall and paralleling said common axis, said dial wheel assemblies including means normally restraining said fence member at said locking position and admitting Movement thereof to said unlocking position only when said dial wheel assemblies occupy a selected combination of angular positions, said fence member having a latching formation at its upper portion adjacent said upper wall to be interfitted into latching relation with said keeper end portion when the fence member is at said locking position and to be withdrawn from the keeper end portion at the unlocking position of the fence member, spring means biasing said fence member to said unlocking position, said fence member having an extension projecting forwardly from the lower portion thereof, and an outwardly biased manual push-button member at the front of the lock device supported for rectilinear reciprocation in a path perpendicular to said pivot axis and having a cam surface formation movable in the housing to engage said extension on the fence member and tilt the fence member to unlocking position by manual inward force on the push-button member.

Claim 8

A combination lock device adapted to be mounted on upper and lower separable container sections of a luggage case or the like adjacent a line of separation therebetween, comprising a keeper to be affixed to the upper section having a keeper end portion projecting toward the lower section, a latching assembly to be affixed on the lower section including a housing having an upper wall adjacent said line of separation and a lower wall, the upper wall having a slot for passage of the keeper end portion into the interior of the housing, a set of plural rotatable combination dial wheel assemblies disposed in axially spaced coaxial relation along a common axis paralleling said line of separation, a tiltable fence member supported adjacent the dial wheel assemblies spanning the set for angular movement toward and away from said common axis between locking and unlocking positions about a fence pivot axis adjacent said lower wall and paralleling said common axis, said dial wheel assemblies including means normally restraining said fence member at said locking position and admitting Movement thereof to said unlocking position only when said dial wheel assemblies occupy a selected combination of angular positions, said fence member having a latching formation at its upper portion adjacent said upper wall to be interfitted into latching relation with said keeper end portion when the fence member is at said locking position and to be withdrawn from the keeper end portion at the unlocking position of the fence member, spring means biasing said fence member to said unlocking position, said fence member having an extension projecting forwardly from the lower portion thereof, and an outwardly biased manual push-button member at the front of the lock device supported for rectilinear reciprocation in a path perpendicular to said pivot axis and having a cam surface formation movable in the housing to engage said extension on the fence member and tilt the fence member to unlocking position by manual inward force on the push-button member.

Claim 9

A combination lock device as defined in claim 6, wherein said keeper end portion has an aperture therein and said fence member has a latch tongue projecting rearwardly substantially perpendicularly from the upper end portion of the fence member to extend through the keeper aperture in interlocking relation therewith at the locking position of the fence member, the cam surface formation on said push-button member being active when the dial wheel assemblies occupy the selected angular positions and the push-button member is pushed rearwardly to apply forces on said extension for positively forcing the fence member to tilt to unlocking position overcoming any restraints against unlocking movement exerted by the keeper against the latch tongue.

Claim 10

A combination lock device as defined in claim 7, wherein said extension of said fence member is a forwardly projecting foot formation integral with the fence member extending substantially perpendicular thereto, said cam surface formation of said push-button member having a shape to engage and force the forward end of said foot formation in a direction to rock the fence member about its pivot axis from locking position to unlocking position.

Claim 11

A combination lock device as defined in claim 6, wherein said extension of said fence member is a forwardly projecting foot formation integral with the fence member extending substantially perpendicular thereto, said cam surface formation of said push-button member having a shape to engage and force the forward end of said foot formation in a direction to rock the fence member about its pivot axis from locking position to unlocking position.

Claim 12

A combination lock device as defined in claim 7, including a shaft for said dial wheel assemblies, each dial wheel assembly comprising an outer annular wheel member having a central bore and an indicia bearing periphery and an inner hub slidably and rotatably journaled on said shaft and extending entirely through the bore of the associated wheel member, and said hubs being disposed in endwise abutting stacked relation on said shaft and each having a circumferential portion coacting with said fence member to restrain the latter in locking position and a flat at a selected angular position for admitting unlocking movement of said fence member.